Choices
by BHP
Summary: Zeus and Apollo hate Magnum, and Magnum hates them. Or do they? And does he? This story was inspired by a number of the words on the whumptober2019 list.


Author's note: All the usual disclaimers apply – I don't own the show or the characters, only the words on this page. As always, I'd love to hear what you think.

This is set between season 1 and season 2 of the 2018 reboot. I've no idea when, or even if, we'll see season 2 here – so this may be the last thing I write for a while. Or, if inspiration should strike, it will have to be restricted to season 1. It's hard to keep things accurate if you can't see the changes in the characters as they happen. With all that in mind, to my lovely friend in New England – this one's for you. Hope you enjoy!

**Choices  
****by BHP**

The day was warm, without being overly humid. A welcome change, for once. The sunshine was just bright enough to remind Magnum that he was no longer in a cave in Afghanistan, but not quite bright enough to banish his thoughts of Hannah.

She'd filled his mind, off and on, since they'd all returned from Myanmar. He'd managed to think of other things at first, too busy dealing with the CIA and the fallout of Hannah's schemes to think about the one fact that impacted him the most.

Hannah was dead.

In a way, perhaps that was for the best. There had been no chance, at all, that they could ever have gone back to the way things had been. Before he'd brought her deeper into all their lives, before she'd betrayed them, betrayed him. He'd thought that knowing why would make a difference, but it hadn't really changed things all that much, after all.

It also didn't stop him from wondering, on days like today, what his life would have been like if things had worked out differently for all of them. If there'd never been eighteen months in his own personal purgatory, always facing what his choices had done to his friends.

But without those eighteen months, there would be no Hawaii. No 'ohana. No Higgins. No job as a private investigator. No helping people in need, in any way he could. No offer to Higgins to join him in his business.

So although the gains didn't outweigh the losses, not quite yet, he could see how they might. One day. Maybe even one day soon.

It had been a lot of thinking, even for him. He was well aware that Higgins told everyone that he didn't have a functioning brain, but letting people think he was dumb gave him the advantage in most situations. And his friends knew better, so what did it really matter what anyone else believed?

Although he knew, this time, that his friends were worried about how much time he'd spent alone, paddling miles across the ocean surrounding the estate. But he'd needed the solitude. The space to make some decisions, ponder some choices – past and future.

Now he thought that, maybe, he was through the worst of it. He'd actually woken up the last few days and thought of something besides Hannah.

Forgiveness was still a work in progress. If he were being honest with himself, he had to admit that it probably always would be. It was hard to let go of his anger over what had happened to his friends, what he'd brought into all their lives, even unaware. But he felt like he was starting to make some real progress now.

He could picture himself taking a few steps forward in his life now, as well, progress not related to Hannah or dealing with everything she'd caused. And that was a welcome feeling, one that he'd often doubted he'd ever experience.

He was going to start nagging Higgins about an answer to his offer. He was going to answer some of the messages on his phone. Maybe even see if he could find a nice woman to take on a real date, to see if that was possible now, without memories of Hannah and what they had once had together intruding. He was even considering taking a new case, if there was one on offer.

The estate was quiet as he headed barefoot across the perfectly trimmed lawn. He'd come back from a run along the beach with the urge to make a sandwich, only to find that he had no mayo in his kitchen. He was sure that the culprit behind that empty bottle was Rick, but that didn't change the fact that he needed mayo now. He knew that Higgins would have some in her kitchen, just as he was sure that it would be one of those 'lite' healthy versions. Still, beggars couldn't be choosers.

Kumu had taken the two velociraptors to see the keikis at the children's hospital again, so he didn't even have to watch his back as he crossed the grass. A minor miracle. He believed Kumu when she said the children loved the dogs, he truly did, because Kumu would never lie about something like that.

He just wasn't sure how it was possible that the dogs hadn't eaten a child yet. Or more than one. They certainly seemed to want to eat him. Maybe they just liked more meat on their chew toys.

Higgins had gone to Honolulu two hours earlier, steam just about coming from her ears when she'd left. He'd let the whole tirade roll over him, only taking in the odd word, but he was pretty sure that whatever was wrong had something to do with the property taxes for the estate. And that some poor civil servant was going to remember today's dressing down for the rest of his life. Higgins in full spate was a terrifying sight, even to the people who knew her.

He stepped quietly into the house, passing Juliet's office on his way to the kitchen, coming to a complete and silent halt at the sound of voices ahead of him. Two men, voices he didn't recognise. He reached for his gun, remembering then that he'd left it behind in the guest house. Who needed a gun to find a bottle of mayo? And where would he have put it anyway, wearing nothing but shorts and a t-shirt?

He eased closer to the doorway, listening to the quiet conversation.

"This should do it, now. Give it a couple of days to work, and that'll be the end of the dogs." A deep voice, no hint of any accent other than local Hawaiian.

"We can hit this place on Friday, then." A lighter voice, slightly nasal, also local.

"Yeah." The deep voice again. "We can go back to the Howard place tonight. Get a nice haul there."

"Dogs gone?"

"Yesterday morning."

Magnum froze for a second, putting the pieces together. And not liking the completed picture one bit.

He'd heard about how the two dogs at the Howard place had been poisoned three days ago. Roberto, one of the groundskeepers, had told him that the two dogs had died yesterday morning. Based on what he'd just overheard, the dogs had been poisoned so these two lowlifes could rob the houses without worrying about the dogs attacking them.

Not because the dogs had ever actually done any harm to a single person.

This sort of casual evil demanded action. It should be recorded, and passed on to the proper authorities, so that these two idiots could get the jail terms they deserved. And he had the means to get that process underway.

Magnum slipped his phone out of his pocket and keyed the camera app. When it was up and running, he eased his phone around the edge of the doorframe, and snapped off a quick photo of the men.

He pulled the phone back and checked the image. Clear enough for a police identification. He quickly keyed in Katsumoto's number and sent the image on, planning to call the detective in a few minutes and explain the back story of the photo.

Hopefully, the detective would be willing to listen to him. Even more hopefully, the detective would be willing to take his call in the first place. Things had been more than strained between the two of them since Hannah's death. Honestly, Magnum had to admit, with good reason. He'd warned the detective that his tendency to get too focussed on something would lead to him damaging their relationship. Being proved right wasn't much comfort, though.

He took a closer look at the image on his phone and flinched. From what he could see, the men had been tampering with the tub that held the dry dog food for Zeus and Apollo. That meant that Robin's Nest was their next target. But more importantly, it meant that the food had been poisoned.

That thought galvanised Magnum into action. He eased forward, crouched low, and poked his head around the door frame. The two men had already left the room, and Magnum could see the door swinging gently shut behind them. He crossed the room quickly, listening for a moment before pulling the door open again.

The space outside the door was empty. He looked around for a moment, then stepped outside, trying to see where the men had gone. He tipped his head to the side, listening intently, then moved quickly to his left. The main gate was in clear view from where he stood now and the men were nowhere in sight.

Which meant that they were heading for the side gate of the property. It was less visible, and he thought that was probably the main reason behind their decision. He made the choice to head that way without conscious thought.

He rounded the corner of the house, jerking sideways as a strong arm wrapped itself around his neck. The arm tightened, threatening to asphyxiate him, and he snapped his head backwards sharply. A muffled cry of pain told him he'd hit his target, and the grip loosened fractionally. He gasped in a breath, and stomped backwards with his right foot as hard as he could, hoping to land on the guy's instep. He wouldn't be able to do much damage barefoot, but he had to try something.

He heard a pained grunt, and the grip loosened completely. He pulled away and spun around to face his attacker. As he'd expected from the voices, one man was large and strongly built. The other man was slight and seemed more like someone you'd expect to find shuffling paper in an office somewhere.

But he had no time for reflection as the big man came at him again. This time, one large fist connected with his cheekbone, leaving behind a hot ache that suggested a massive bruise lay in his future. Then another blow caught him in the ribs, making him gasp for breath again.

He ducked and swung wildly, feeling his punch connect with bone. The other man stumbled for a second, and Magnum swung again, targeting the same spot with another two hard punches. His knuckles weren't going to thank him for this tomorrow, but at least the other man was beginning to falter.

Magnum took half a step back, and put all his strength into one more powerful swing, connecting this time with the big man's jaw. Luck was on his side for a change, as the man fell to one knee.

Magnum moved in to knock the man to the ground, only to have the smaller man pull out a gun and aim it right at him. He'd stared down the barrel of a loaded gun before, but somehow the muzzle never seemed to get any smaller, or any less terrifying.

Magnum froze, hands held out at his sides, just above waist height.

"Let's not do anything stupid, okay?" Magnum kept his tone calm.

"Don't move." The guy with the gun seemed more afraid of the weapon than he was of Magnum. Always a bad sign. Magnum held himself immobile.

"I'm sure we can talk about this." Magnum raised his hands slightly. "How about you guys just walk away and we all forget that any of this happened?"

"Do you think we're stupid?" The big man's deeper voice cut in. "We know you took a photo. You know who we are."

"About that …" Magnum indicated the pocket where he carried his phone.

"Photos can be deleted. I can do that, no problem." Promise them what they wanted, until he could make another move.

The big man came towards Magnum slowly, one hand nursing the side of his jaw. A red patch on the skin there gave Magnum the satisfaction of knowing he'd left a mark. Even if he hadn't already sent the photo to Katsumoto, he'd have no trouble identifying these two thugs again.

The small guy waved the gun in Magnum's direction again, clearly unused to handling a weapon of any sort. Magnum deliberately relaxed his muscles, hoping to seem less threatening. For a moment, his strategy seemed to be working.

Then the air was split by the unmistakable sound of a patrol car siren, coming closer with every second.

The gun pulled up in the small guy's hand, the movement faster than the sound of the weapon's discharge. Time froze for a moment, then searing pain ripped into Magnum's left thigh.

He dropped to the ground, everything else forgotten as he clamped both hands over the agony burning through his flesh. He didn't even see the two men turn away from him, running for the gate as fast as they could.

It felt like hours had passed before Magnum was able to focus on his surroundings again, but he knew it could only have been seconds. The pain was sharp and jagged, stealing his breath and inviting in the panic he could feel hovering just over his shoulder.

He forced himself to grip harder with his left hand, freeing his shaking right hand to dig in his pocket for his phone. The panic inched much closer when he found nothing but empty space. The phone must have fallen out of his pocket during the fight. He could feel himself getting weaker, cold starting to spread from his leg to the rest of his body.

He risked a glance at his leg and shook his head. The blood was coming too fast, too red, seeping through his shaking fingers even as he gripped harder to try to stem the flow. Obviously, the bullet had nicked the artery.

His best option was to keep as still as he could, keep a tight grip on his leg and his panic, and wait for help. Higgins had to come back to the estate soon, and Kumu was due back mid-afternoon. He carefully ignored the fact that he wouldn't see mid-afternoon at the rate he was bleeding. Or maybe he should look around himself, try to find the phone and call for help.

Then he remembered what the men had been doing in the kitchen. If he stayed where he was, he risked passing out before he could tell anyone about the poisoned food. If he moved, he risked bleeding out before he got help. But how could he let something happen to the dogs that Higgins loved?

Decision made, Magnum rolled to the side, slowly easing himself upright while keeping one hand clamped on his leg. Not that it seemed to matter, the way the blood kept oozing through his slippery fingers. Once he was more-or-less vertical, and partially stable on his feet, he fastened his right hand over his left again.

Later, the trip back to the house would never come clear in his memory. All he could recall was stabbing pain at every stumbling footstep, every dragging motion of his injured leg. And knowing that Higgins would have his head on a platter for the blood he was leaving all over her pristine kitchen floor.

Eventually, he found himself back at the cupboard the two men had closed before leaving the kitchen. He risked pulling his right hand from his leg, opened the door and pulled hard on the tub of dog food. It slid to the floor with a solid thump.

He let himself slide down to the tiled floor, back against the cupboard for support, and pried the lid off the tub one-handed. There was no sign of anything suspicious in the tub, no way Higgins would know that the food was tainted.

There was no other option. No other choice.

Magnum loosened the grip his left hand had on his leg, forcing his fingers to ease out of their cramped position. He waited until the blood was running freely again, forming a puddle under his leg.

Then he dragged both hands, fingers trembling, through the scarlet pool. He coated every finger thoroughly with sticky red liquid. Seconds later, he plunged them into the tub, making sure that he spread the blood around freely. He ran his fingers through the growing puddle under his leg twice more, collecting more blood to add to the food, continuing until he considered the job satisfactory.

Whatever happened after this moment no longer mattered. Higgins would never let Zeus and Apollo come near the tainted food.

When that was done, he clasped both hands around the wound in his leg again, applying as much pressure as he could. But the damage had been done. As he pushed down and felt the pain flare up again, he could see his vision tunnelling down to a narrow cone of light. Dark spots danced around the edges of the cone, slowly coalescing into swathes of darkness.

Moments later, completely unaware of the change, Thomas slid to the side. His hands loosened their death grip and he passed out on the floor.

**MPI-MPI-MPI**

Higgins had enjoyed putting that obnoxious little man in the government office in his place. He'd dared to tell her that she'd made a mistake in her record-keeping, and that perhaps the lady shouldn't worry her pretty little head about it, but rather get her husband to call him.

After she'd laid out her very detailed records, politely pointed out his mistakes, and made it clear that independent, modern women were more than capable of dealing with finances on their own, he'd been almost pathetically eager to remedy the situation.

And apologise, which she'd accepted with icy British calm. No need to let the man know that, inside, she'd been laughing so hard it had been a struggle to keep a straight face at all.

She'd been so pleased with how the whole meeting had gone that she'd swung by her favourite coffee shop and treated herself to a bag of their single-source, organic, coffee beans, an indulgence she saved for special days. When she got home, she'd make a pot of coffee and share the story with Magnum. She could almost hear him laughing now.

She parked the car in the garage and headed for the kitchen door, package of coffee beans dangling from her fingers. She missed her dogs running to meet her, but she knew the children loved to play with them, and she never minded Kumu taking them to the hospital.

Light glanced off something on the grass, almost under the edge of a shrub. Higgins paused a moment, sharpening her gaze on that spot. It looked almost like … a phone? She covered the short distance to the object and leaned over to pick it up.

Definitely a phone. Touching the screen brought it to life, and she recognised the device as belonging to Magnum. Oh, today was just getting better and better. She'd have to hang on to this until he'd run himself ragged looking all over the estate for it, then she could produce it and tease him again about how he needed some order in his life. Like the old saying went: a place for everything, and everything in its place.

Then she took a closer look at the screen. A photograph of two men she'd never seen, in a kitchen that looked very much like hers. Magnum had sent it to Katsumoto. After what the detective had said when they'd all returned from Myanmar, Magnum had been treading lightly on that particular ground. But now he'd sent the detective this image. There had to be a very good reason.

Unease prickled, sparking into worry when she took a closer look at the ground near the phone. Unless she was very much mistaken, which was not likely given her past and experiences, that dark patch on the grass in front of her was blood.

She looked around then, seeing more blood heading away from where she was standing. She followed the trail, slowly at first, then more quickly when she realised that it was leading to the main house.

The trail ended at the kitchen door, and Higgins hesitated there for a moment. She slid Magnum's phone into her pocket for safekeeping, then listened for another long moment.

Hearing nothing, she eased the door open. No movement, no sound. She slid in, letting the door swing silently shut behind her. More blood led the way to the cupboards on the far side of the room.

She stepped closer, then the bag in her hand fell from numb fingers to the floor, corner bursting open and spilling coffee beans across the tiles.

Magnum lay unconscious on the floor in front of her. Bright red blood puddled under his left leg, more coming from under the slack fingers still loosely wrapped around his thigh.

Her world narrowed down to nothing more than the man on the floor. The numbness spread through her, until he was no longer someone she knew, no longer a friend. He was simply a bleeding wound that her training had prepared her to cope with, and manage.

She crossed the room in two fast strides, grabbing a towel on the way. She knocked Magnum's hands from the bleeding wound, folded the towel into a tight wad, placed it over what was clearly a bullet hole and pressed down with all her body weight.

The blood was soaking the towel at an alarming rate, so she shifted slightly, getting her knee on top of her one hand to add more pressure. Easing the other hand away from the wound, she pulled her own phone out and called 9-1-1.

As soon as she'd finished that call, she hung up and dialled again.

"What's he done, now, Higgins? Do you need me to arrest him?" Katsumoto sounded both annoyed and, very faintly under that, amused. Maybe even slightly hopeful about the offer to arrest Magnum. In other circumstances, Higgins would have played along.

"It's more a case of what's been done to him, Detective."

"Come again?" The tone was all business now, intent and focussed.

"Magnum has been shot." Higgins laid out the facts she had. "I returned home from Honolulu, found him unconscious on the floor in the kitchen in the main house. He has a bullet wound to the left thigh, bleeding heavily. An ambulance is on the way, but I thought you should be informed as well. It appears he sent you a message not long ago."

"I saw the notification, and the message. But it's just a photo of two guys." Katsumoto sighed then. "I should have called, I suppose, but I assumed that he would let me know what it was all about."

"Quite." Higgins managed to put a wealth of emotions in that single word. "All I can add is that the background in that photograph is my kitchen. The one where Magnum is currently bleeding like a stuck pig."

"That puts a different spin on things." Higgins could hear movement down the line. "I'll find out where the ambulance is going to take him and meet you there later."

"Thank you." Higgins cut the call abruptly. She keyed in the code to open the front gate for the paramedics when they arrived – hopefully soon – not wanting to have to split her attention again. Then she slid her phone back into her pocket. She shifted her knee off the wound, and pressed down with both hands again. This time, the pressure got a response.

"No." The moan was quiet and pained. "Get off. Hurts."

"I'm sorry. I have to." Higgins leaned harder, and Magnum twitched again, eyes cracking open a sliver.

"Juliet. Sorry. I'm … sorry." One hand twitched towards the tub of dog food. Higgins glanced across for the first time since seeing Thomas on the floor. There was blood all over the food. What on earth?

"Howard place. Nearby. Howard place." The words were quiet, fading, but the desperation was clear.

"What?"

Magnum's eyes stayed closed. Higgins pressed down again, forcing him to focus again.

"Stay with me, you pillock! Thomas!"

"Mean." The word slurred. The hand twitched towards the dog food again. "Had to. Sorry. Howard place. Howard …"

"Yes, I heard. Howard place." Higgins knew she was fighting a losing battle as Magnum's eyes fell shut again, and no amount of pressure could elicit a response. Her initial numbness was fading now, and panic was setting in. Magnum wouldn't make it much longer without help.

Her hands were cramping, but she ignored them, putting all her attention on slowing the bleeding. Short minutes later, two paramedics gently shifted her to the side and took over.

**MPI-MPI-MPI**

The trip to the hospital had been a blur of light and sound. Juliet had made sure that she was allowed to travel with Thomas, lying outright when asked if she was related to him. The paramedics probably had the completely wrong impression of the relationship she shared with Magnum, she was sure. But in this case, the end justified the means, so that was just too bad for them.

Not that it had mattered once they'd arrived. Magnum had been wheeled away, still unconscious, and she'd been left standing next to the wall in the emergency room.

Her only clear memory from the trip was sending a message to Rick and TC, telling them what had happened and to which hospital the ambulance was headed.

Higgins looked around her now, all sense of purpose on hold until she had news of Magnum's condition. Unusually, the room was only about a third full, and she could see a number of vacant chairs. She pushed herself off the wall, intending to sit in a defensible corner and wait for Magnum's friends to arrive.

The odd silence drew her attention, and she looked around again, finally noticing the strange looks she was getting from everyone present. She looked down at herself, then, only to realise that her hands and legs were covered in tacky, slowly-drying blood. Magnum's blood.

The last vestige of numbness died then, drowned in a flood of returning emotions. She leaned heavily against the wall, trying to take a deep breath and failing. Another attempt netted the same result. A third attempt was finally successful. She could feel the panic and fear swamping her, now that she had room to consider anything more than keeping his remaining blood inside Magnum's body.

"Perhaps you could point me to a washroom?" Higgins aimed the request at a nearby nurse, who turned a sharp-eyed look on her.

"Are you okay?" The gentle question was almost too much to handle, and Juliet forced herself to be strong.

"I'm fine, thank you." She indicated the blood with a wave of her hand. "But I do need to clean up a bit."

The woman aimed one more searching glance at her, before nodding and pointing towards the back corner of the emergency room. Higgins nodded her thanks and turned in that direction. Looking up, she saw the small sign hanging from the ceiling, indicating the facilities. Clearly, she wasn't at her most observant at the moment.

Just as she turned away and started the walk, a familiar and very welcome pair of voices rang out behind her.

"Higgy."

"Jules."

She spun around again, nearly tripping in her haste. Rick's arms shot out to catch her, holding her close for a moment. That support was the final straw. The dam broke and she felt the trembling begin. Moments later, she was shaking so hard, she couldn't get a word out.

She felt Rick pull her with him, TC bringing up the rear and keeping the gawkers from getting a good look at her. Then the three of them were settled on chairs, one warm and comforting friend on each side of her.

"We got you, Higgy." TC's voice was a quiet rumble of strength.

"You just let it all out. We're here now, and we're not going anywhere." Rick's murmur was soothing, and little by little, the tremors faded until she was simply slumped between the two men. She took a deep breath, and straightened up.

"Thank you."

"No need to thank us." Rick shook his head. "You'd do the same for us."

"I would." Juliet confirmed, managing a tiny smile.

Rick eased away from Higgins then, pulling his phone from the pocket of his jeans and tapping out a quick message. Moments later, his phone pinged a response. After reading it, he tapped out another reply and pocketed the device.

Higgins raised one eyebrow in a silent question.

"Just wanted to let Kumu know where we are, and that she should stay out of the kitchen and keep the dogs with her. Wait for the crime scene guys to deal with it all."

Higgins nodded and sank back in her chair, silent as she kept replaying the day in her mind. Wondering what she could have, should have, done differently.

An hour later, there were no smiles or words left for any of them. No energy. Just exhaustion and worry, and the nagging thought that this might be the time that Magnum's luck ran out.

They'd moved to the waiting room on the surgical floor, near the operating room where the doctors were working on Magnum.

Rick had turned on the charm and managed to beg a set of scrubs from one of the nurses, allowing Juliet to wash off the blood and change clothes. The blue capris and matching patterned top were headed to the trash, beyond saving due to how much of Magnum's blood had soaked into them.

TC was about to make a coffee run, as they all knew better than to drink the sludge from the waiting room machine.

"You want something to eat, as well, Higgy?"

"Thanks, TC, but no. I don't think I could eat anything right now." Juliet admitted, missing the glance the two men shared over her head.

"How about you find some snacks or something, TC?" Rick suggested. "Something we can open later, if we want."

"I do know my own mind." Higgins looked at both men, then, raising an eyebrow. "I know what you're doing, you know."

Rick and TC just shared a grin and shrugged, and Juliet gave in and smiled back.

"Do what you want. You will anyway." Although the words were sharp, the tone was exactly the opposite.

But plans were put on hold as the elevator doors opened to reveal Detective Katsumoto, jacket in place and sober intent in every line of his march across the floor to them.

**MPI-MPI-MPI**

"Higgins, Rick, TC." He nodded at each of them in turn, then turned his attention back to Higgins.

"Were you injured as well?" He indicated the scrubs with a flick of his fingers, before pulling out his notebook and pen.

"No, I'm fine." Higgins kept her composure, although her voice wavered a bit when she continued. "Rick got me these because my clothes were covered in Magnum's blood."

"That bad?" Higgins spotted the momentary flash of worry, quickly hidden. She'd been right, then, when Katsumoto had met them at the airport. When they'd come back with Hannah's body, she'd thought there was a moment of compassion in Katsumoto's glance. It was nice to know she wasn't losing her touch in reading people. Although, that skill also told her that Magnum would have to put a lot of time and effort into fixing his relationship with Katsumoto. The detective wasn't going to make it easy. Not necessarily a bad thing, in her opinion.

"Pretty much." Rick's subdued comment was more telling than anyone wanted to admit.

Katsumoto nodded once, then pulled out his notebook and pen, turning his attention back to Higgins.

"I know you gave me some basics when you called, but is there anything else you can think of?"

Higgins shook her head immediately, then tilted her head to one side.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, maybe." Higgins said slowly. "He wasn't conscious at first, and when he did rouse a bit, he wasn't making much sense."

"Sounds like Thomas." TC tried to joke, managing to raise a quiet chuckle from the group.

"Yes, well. Even less than usual, then." Higgins thought back and concentrated hard on specifics as she replayed the time in the kitchen.

"After I called you, Detective, I leaned rather hard on his wound." Juliet winced at the memory of Magnum's pain.

"It's okay, Higgy." TC patted her shoulder and Rick leaned a little closer as he spoke.

"Tommy won't hold it against you. You had to do it, he knows that."

Higgins nodded, then looked at Katsumoto again.

"He'd pulled the dog food out of the cupboard before he passed out. He'd put his blood everywhere. On the tub, in the food. It almost looked deliberate, but I can't imagine why." She shook her head slowly, thinking of the sequence of events. Too busy re-living those minutes to see Katsumoto's twitch on hearing about the dog food.

"Then, after I leaned on the wound, he woke a bit and kept muttering that he was sorry. I think he meant about the blood everywhere, or the food. I'm not sure which."

She looked up to find Katsumoto intent on her every word, making detailed notes while she spoke. That seemed odd, but she didn't have the energy to pursue it.

"Then he just kept repeating two words – Howard place, Howard place. There's no road with that name anywhere near us. And I've been racking my brain, but I don't know anyone named Howard. Do you?" She directed the question to Rick and TC, who both shook their heads.

"That's actually … remarkably helpful, considering his condition at the time." Katsumoto sounded faintly stunned at having to admit that.

"It is?" Three voices asked the question in chorus.

"Yeah. None of the facts make sense alone, but together …" Katsumoto flipped back through his notebook, checked a few pages, then moved back to the current page and made a few more notes.

"There's been a spate of robberies recently. All small stuff, easy to move. Laptops, cameras, jewellery, high-end electronics." Katsumoto sighed. "Most of the victims are wealthy enough that the cost isn't really the issue."

"Oh, to be that well-off." Rick muttered.

"The issue is that every house that's been targeted has dogs. Like Zeus and Apollo, not just fluffy little yappers. And every single dog has been poisoned. Two or three days before the robbery. Even with the best vet care, not one dog has survived."

"That is despicable." Higgins was appalled.

"I agree. And that's what really has all the robbery victims upset. Sure, they're upset about the break-in, the robbery, but they've all got insurance. The attack on their dogs is what really has them fuming."

"Quite. I would feel exactly the same. Zeus and Apollo are not just dogs." Juliet's tone was vehement.

"Three days ago, another pair of dogs was poisoned." Katsumoto looked at Juliet as he spoke. "About five miles from Robin's Nest, two German shepherds belonging to Ian and Judy …"

"Howard." Higgins cut the detective off, shaking her head. "I wasn't thinking of surnames."

"Exactly." Katsumoto snapped his notebook shut, sliding it and the pen into his jacket pocket. "Magnum must have made the connection when he saw them in your kitchen. The Howard house hasn't been robbed yet, and the robbery is never more than three days after the poisoning."

Katsumoto hesitated for a moment, and Higgins could see an edge of reluctance under the business-like façade.

"I'm going to organise a stakeout on their house tonight. With any luck, we can catch these guys in the act."

"No doubt the photo will help with the identification." Higgins spoke up.

"Yeah, it will." Katsumoto turned to leave, then swung back around. "Tell Magnum … just … thank him for me."

Higgins nodded seriously, smothering her smile until the elevator doors closed in front of the detective's face. Then a slightly hysterical laugh bubbled out, drawing concerned looks from Rick and TC.

"That looked like it really hurt him, saying thank you to Magnum." Higgins laughed again. "Even if Magnum can't hear him."

More laughter joined her own, fading immediately as a tired-looking doctor in blood-speckled scrubs came into the room. They all pushed to their feet, heading towards the man as a group.

"Family of Thomas Magnum?" Three heads nodded.

"Let's take a seat, shall we?" The doctor headed for the chairs, waiting until everyone was settled before going on.

"I'm Doctor Carlson. First, let me say that your friend will be fine."

Higgins felt the tension drain out of her so suddenly that she swayed in the chair. Rick and TC didn't look much steadier.

"The bullet nicked the artery in his thigh, which was the most urgent problem for us. Along with the corresponding blood loss. The wound itself was at an angle, making the repair more difficult and time-consuming than we would have liked, but all things considered, everything went well."

"All things considered?" Higgins got the question out first.

"Yes. Fixing the damage required opening the wound up further, which meant we needed to use thirty-seven stitches to close it up. Aside from the stitches for the repair of the artery, that is. Your friend is looking at a fairly lengthy recovery, with absolutely no strain on that leg for the next few days at least. And then he will be restricted to crutches for at least another two weeks."

"Oh, he's not going to like that." TC was definite.

"Not at all." Rick agreed, a wry smile on his face.

"Well, then he's just going to have to lump it." Higgins laid down the law.

"You get really … British … when you're upset." Rick teased, breaking the last of the tension down into laughter.

"He's also not going to be able to manage alone for a while." The doctor broke in again, and Higgins nodded.

"We know. Trust us, it's not an issue." Higgins gifted the doctor a beaming smile, before questioning, "So, when can we see him?"

"We plan to keep him sedated until tomorrow morning, at the very least. We want no movement of the leg at all for the next few hours."

"Good." TC agreed, then carried on. "You might want to talk to Doctor Milford."

"Oh?"

"He's treated Thomas before. There are …things … you need to know." Higgins knew that TC wouldn't say more than that, but they all knew that the older doctor would tell Doctor Carlson what he needed to know.

Higgins watched as Doctor Carlson took a long, hard look at the two men sitting next to her, taking in their bearing and the set of their shoulders, before taking another look at her as well. Comprehension dawned, along with respect.

"I'll do that now." He rose to his feet. "He should be settled in a room in the next hour or so. You can see him for a few minutes then, but like I said, we'll be keeping him heavily sedated for the night. We're also still transfusing blood, so I know that it looks bad. But honestly, he is stable. And he will be fine."

As the doctor walked away, Higgins shared a look with Rick and TC.

"Right, then. Who's staying tonight?"

"Me." TC was clear, crossing his arms firmly across his Island Hoppers shirt. "You need to go home, and Rick can take you. Check on the dogs. Do something about their food. Tell Kumu what's happened."

And that was when the full impact of everything Katsumoto had explained drove Higgins back into her chair, fingers digging unaware into Rick's arm.

"They were going to kill the lads. Zeus. Apollo." Stunned horror filled the words.

"But they didn't. Thomas stopped them." Rick wrapped an arm around her, words quiet and firm. "Now you're going to go home, check on your dogs. I bet they're waiting for you already."

**MPI-MPI-MPI**

Magnum lay very still. He wasn't sure where he was, or how he'd ended up here – wherever here was. The last thing he remembered was sunshine, wanting a sandwich, planning to steal Juliet's mayo. Then things got vague and … confused. So he let his senses sort out what they could of his environment without trying to open his eyes.

It was quiet, but not abnormally so. There were voices nearby, sounds of movement. An infernal beeping sound, much closer to him.

The light was dim, but there was light. So, not a cave in Afghanistan, then. Comforting to know.

He felt exhausted. His cheekbone and ribs ached faintly, the feeling somehow muted. Painkillers of some sort, he guessed. His left leg hurt in a much sharper way, suggesting that it was the reason for the painkillers. And if it was still hurting, the damage had to be severe.

For some reason, though, he had the idea that the pain was worth it. Whatever 'it' happened to be.

He concentrated on the beeping sound again, inordinately pleased when he recognised it as a heart monitor. And that moment of realisation sharpened the vague memories.

His eyes shot open, and the monitor shifted into overdrive, beeping madly. But before he could move, a large, warm hand settled on his arm.

**MPI-MPI-MPI**

TC sighed quietly and shifted to the check the time. Almost midnight. Magnum hadn't moved since the nurses had settled him in the bed and TC hoped that meant his friend would sleep through the night. The chances of that weren't great, though, which was why he'd checked the chart as soon as all the medical staff had left the room.

Doctor Carlson had been as good as his word. He'd obviously spoken to Doctor Milford, because a note on the chart gave permission for Magnum's friends to spend nights in the room with the patient. Just knowing that took the edge off the tension TC always felt when seeing one of his friends in a hospital bed.

The heart monitor changed tempo for a few seconds, so TC leaned forward to check on Magnum. The man had a very annoying tendency to fight sedatives, waking long before the effects should wear off. TC had hoped that tonight would be the exception to the rule. The monitor slowed again and he leaned back in his chair, breathing out a quiet sight of relief.

Then Magnum's eyes shot open, panic-stricken. The heart monitor speeded up frantically. TC was on his feet immediately, settling a hand on Magnum's arm.

"TM. It's me, TC. Don't move, okay. I got you, it's fine. You're safe." The soothing litany, in that deep, calm, voice, slowly broke through his friend's panic.

"Okay." Magnum eased the word out, trying to slow his breathing. "The dogs?"

"Are fine." His hand never left Magnum's arm, but TC shifted enough to get his phone with his other hand. "Hang on a second for me."

He fiddled with the phone for a moment, then turned it around to show Magnum a photo of Higgins, Kumu and two very lively, healthy, Dobermans. Magnum stared hard for a moment, then the fight went out of him completely and he sagged back onto the bed.

"Thanks, TC." TC could see the relief in Magnum's half-open eyes.

"You're fine, too, by the way. Or you will be." TC knew Magnum would never ask about himself, far too concerned about Higgins and her dogs.

Magnum moved then, sliding his left hand slowly over the sheet until it rested on the dressing wrapped around his thigh.

"Bullet. Little guy shot me. Artery?"

"Got it in one." TC agreed calmly. "Did a fair bit of damage, brother. But the docs fixed it all up for you. You've just got to give it time to heal, now."

"Tired." Magnum's voice was fading, and TC could see his attention slipping away. "Aches."

TC knew that was a lie. If Thomas Magnum was admitting that something ached, it had to be hurting badly. Probably a twelve on a ten-point scale.

"I know." TC patted Magnum's hand gently, avoiding the monitor on his friend's finger and the IV line in the wrist of that same hand with an ease born of long practice. "But you're not even supposed to be awake yet. It'll be better in the morning. Trust me."

"You know I do, brother." The soft words slipped out, and TC could see Magnum struggling to get one more word out as the sedatives finally overpowered him, pulling him back to sleep again.

"Always."

**MPI-MPI-MPI**

Juliet Higgins liked being organised, on top of her responsibilities, and in control of her environment. Whether the universe agreed with her, and accommodated her needs, or not. Which is why she'd already made a substantial dent in a rather impressive to-do list this morning, before heading to the hospital.

She'd made up a bed in a room on the ground floor of the main house for Magnum to move into when he was allowed to go home. She'd made sure that any dog food left behind by Katsumoto's crime scene team had been carefully double-bagged and marked for incineration. Along with her ruined clothes. She cleaned the worst of the blood off the floor and put in a call to the cleaning service to do a thorough cleaning later today.

She'd paid a quick visit to the guest house and packed a few necessities for Magnum. Disposed of the food he'd left on the counter the morning before. Made a quick trip to the nearest store and stocked up on things she knew she'd need to have available in her kitchen to keep Magnum and his friends comfortable for the first few days back home.

And most importantly, she'd purchased brand-new bags of food for Zeus and Apollo. Then she'd sat on the floor with them for a good ten minutes, hugging them close and talking gently to them. They'd had no clue what brought on an extra session of petting from their favourite person, but being good dogs, they weren't about to complain.

Now, as visiting hours started at the hospital, Higgins eased her way quietly into Magnum's room. Magnum was still asleep, so she made sure not to make any noise. There was just a standard IV bag dangling on the stand this morning, and she took the absence of a blood transfusion as a good sign.

TC was dozing in a chair in the corner, looking a little worn and rumpled. Rick was perched on another chair at the side of the bed, shoulders tensing and eyes flicking up to see who was entering. Tight muscles relaxed and Rick smiled as she nodded to him.

"Any change?" She breathed the question out softly, eager to let TC sleep.

"Nothing much." Rick matched her tone and volume. "TC says he woke up once last night, but he hasn't moved since then."

"Does he remember what happened?"

"Everything, according to TC." Rick nodded.

"Doc Carlson was in earlier and said that he's satisfied so far." TC spoke from behind Higgins, as he rose to his feet to stretch. He pointed at the remaining IV bag. "He said he'd spoken to Doc Milford and made some adjustments to the meds. That he'll see how today and tomorrow go before deciding on a discharge date."

"Sounds sensible." Higgins agreed, gaze straying back to Magnum's face. "He does look somewhat better."

"Yeah." Rick agreed. "Our boy's tough. He'll bounce back."

The sound of the door opening had all three of them spinning around, tensed to defend the occupant of the bed. Only to find Detective Katsumoto there, coffee cup in hand. A flicker of concern was quickly hidden behind his usual inscrutable mask, and he nodded to them all.

"Did I hear that correctly? Magnum is improving?"

"You did. Although the doctors have made it clear that his recovery will most likely be long and quite slow." Juliet wasn't above needling Katsumoto just a little. "Do I sense a little concern, Detective?"

"Just a little. The paperwork is so much worse for a homicide." The dry delivery surprised a smile from Juliet, and a pair of matching snorts from Rick and TC.

"I'm sure Magnum will be glad to hear that he saved you some work."

Katsumoto just sighed and shook his head.

"Are Zeus and Apollo okay?" Katsumoto put the coffee cup down and pulled out his notebook, flipping to the correct page before reaching for his coffee again.

"Yes, thank you." Juliet's answer was quick, leading her to a question. "Did last night net any results?"

"It did. I don't have any obligation to tell you any of this …"

"We're aware, Detective," Higgins broke in, "but as this does concern us to a degree, we do appreciate it."

"Right." A note of thinly-veiled sarcasm filled the word. "We made two arrests at the Howard house last night. The two men in the photograph that Magnum sent to me. We've charged them with multiple counts of housebreaking, robbery and cruelty to animals. We've also charged them both with assault and attempted murder for their attack on Magnum. His statement should make clear which one of them actually shot him."

"The little one." TC broke in, indicating Magnum with a wave of his hand. "That's what he said last night."

"Good to know." Katsumoto made a note. "Given all the evidence, they're going to jail for quite a long time."

"Good." Katsumoto's gaze swung around the group as they all spoke together.

"Vengeful much?" The look on his face suggested he didn't really need an answer, but they all nodded anyway. Then he offered one more comment, confusion clear.

"I've actually never heard of anyone acting as a human shield for their watch dogs before. And in absentia, so to speak."

"I hadn't considered it like that." Higgins felt off-balance, surprised that she had missed something so obvious, now that it had been mentioned. "Especially because it's the lads."

Rick tipped his head in a silent question.

"He hates them." Higgins answered.

"Has he ever said that?" Rick wondered quietly.

"Now that you mention it, no." Higgins answered. "But he complains about them, all the time. Loudly, repeatedly and at great length. What other reason could there be?"

TC laughed then, Rick joining in a second later.

"You're wrong, Jules."

"Yeah, Higgy." TC smiled widely at her. "He doesn't hate them as much as you think. You know how our boy is, good at hiding things."

"You don't say." She raised an eyebrow, and Rick nodded.

"We do. And it wouldn't matter if he did actually hate them." Rick's smile was gentle and comforting. "You love them. Which means that he'll do whatever he has to, if it means keeping them safe for you."

"He chose to risk bleeding to death for them?" The shocked question was out before Juliet could censor herself.

"TM wouldn't have seen it as much of a choice, Higgy." TC didn't seem at all surprised.

"He probably didn't even consider it a choice at all." Rick agreed.

That stunned her. She knew there was more to Magnum than most people saw. He was certainly more intelligent than he let on, far more computer-savvy than he would admit, and with any number of hidden skills. But she'd never considered that his care and concern for her would extend to her dogs as well. Sometimes, it was good to be reminded that there were always new things to learn about the people around you.

She looked over at the bed, her gaze considering, only to find a faintly embarrassed Thomas Magnum looking back at her. Exhaustion radiated from him, and he looked like his eyelids were losing the battle with gravity, but the awareness in those eyes was sharp and clear.

"And?" The question was gentle.

"What they said." Magnum's voice reflected his exhaustion. But the three words were enough to get everyone clustered around him, even Katsumoto, although he stayed at the foot of the bed.

"I have to get going. Paperwork." Katsumoto hesitated a moment, then directed his next words to Magnum. "But … thank you for what you did."

"You're welcome." Once, Juliet would have put the reticence in Magnum's tone down to pain and drugs, but this time, she had a feeling there was something more behind it. Regret, perhaps, at how he'd thrown away a growing friendship. Although that was perhaps a little premature; she was fairly sure that enough hard work on Magnum's part could turn things around.

Then Katsumoto was gone, and Magnum asked the question they all knew would be next. Even though he could barely stay awake long enough to get the words out.

"When can I get out of here?"

**MPI-MPI-MPI**

Three days later, Magnum eased himself out of the obligatory wheelchair and used Rick's support to make it into TC's van. He'd wanted out of the hospital from the moment he'd woken up, but Doctor Carlson was as stubborn as Doctor Milford.

Thankfully, he'd also been as accommodating, and between TC, Rick and Higgins, he'd not had to spend a single night without company.

Although, to be honest, he'd spent most of the time sleeping so heavily that a full-scale invasion probably wouldn't have woken him. Who'd have thought blood loss could be more exhausting than surviving the Taliban?

He rested his head against the window, watching the sandy beaches and restless waves go by during the drive back to the estate. He was already wondering how he was going to survive weeks without going in the water.

His mind wandered back to Katsumoto's visit to the hospital, that first morning. He didn't know how to fix the damage he'd done by not being honest with the man. Not yet, at least. But he could have died three days earlier, which had put things into perspective for him. Again. Just as the Korengal had done, years earlier.

He was still alive. So anything was possible and he had the time, now, to find some way to repair the relationship. To rebuild their fledgling friendship. Not that Katsumoto was going to make it easy. The other man had made that clear with his tone of voice, and his distinctly distant attitude.

Well, he'd always liked a challenge. He wouldn't be a SEAL if he didn't. And while Katsumoto might be a hard nut to crack, Magnum knew he was up to that challenge. He was still smiling when TC turned into the drive at Robin's Nest.

Higgins and Kumu were waiting at the front door, Kumu looking fresh and summery in a floral-patterned outfit, matching pink flower in her hair. The golden Hawaiian sunshine lit up Juliet's blonde hair and green top, making a warm and welcoming picture. The two of them were the exact opposite of the sterile hospital environment he'd just left behind, and simply seeing them helped something inside him unwind and relax.

Zeus and Apollo were sitting at attention next to Higgins, ears pricked forward and eyes sharp on the van. Not quite what he'd had in mind for a quiet homecoming, but at least he had Rick with him to charm the four-legged monsters for as long as it took him to get inside.

He waited for TC to help him slide off the seat and out of the van, balancing on his good leg while he sorted out the crutches. He'd told the doctor he could manage with crutches, rather than a wheelchair, but right now, he thought that might have been a mistake. He gathered himself and slowly made his way to the door.

"You sure about this, Higgins?" He had to ask one final time. "I'll be fine in the guest house, honest."

"Yes, I'm sure." Higgins shot a glare at him, then smiled. "We promised the doctor you wouldn't be alone, for one thing. For another, we want to help. Can you just leave it at that, for once?"

"Okay, okay. No arguments." Magnum grunted the words out, the exertion of using the crutches making it hard to breathe easily. He knew then that he had a long way to go before he was fully healthy again.

Now that he'd managed to get moving, though, he knew that stopping would be a mistake. He probably wouldn't be able to get going again, and needing to be carried to a chair was too embarrassing to contemplate. So he kept going, blind determination getting him to the sitting area, where TC's quick grab turned his unsteady collapse into a gentle, controlled, descent to the cushions.

Zeus and Apollo followed close behind Higgins, watching his every move, their dark eyes never leaving him.

"Uh, Higgins?" Magnum spoke up, keeping his tone even. "Could you get them to stop looking at me like I'm tonight's dinner? Please?"

Rick laughed, which had both dogs turning their heads to look at him, before their noses swung back to point at Magnum.

"Relax, Magnum." Higgins laughed. "The lads and I had a chat this morning about you. I've explained that you saved their lives, and they've agreed not to chase you until you're healthy again."

"You're kidding me?" Magnum wasn't sure he'd heard her properly.

"Right, lads?" Juliet's question had both dogs tipping their heads to the right, together, then coming right up to Magnum. He instinctively held out a hand to ward them off, only for them to both sniff his hand and then move to lie down on the other side of the room. Dark eyes still intently focussed on him.

"You're serious?" Magnum was truly curious now.

"Oh, indeed." Higgins nodded.

"I keep telling you, bud," Rick added his thoughts, "they're really clever dogs."

"Okay. I'll admit to that. Under duress." Magnum muttered, eliciting laughter from everyone.

His leg chose that moment to twinge sharply, and he pushed up against the cushions, using both arms to raise himself slightly, hoping to shift to a less awkward position. Twin sharp growls filled the air, and both dogs rose immediately to their feet. Magnum froze instantly, attention shifting to the two Dobermans.

"Higgins." Magnum's tone held a thin thread of panic, heightened by the fact that he knew he couldn't escape.

"Ah, yes. I almost forgot. There is one thing I should warn you about." Juliet's grin turned wicked, and she indicated the two alert dogs with a wave of her hand. "I asked them to make sure you don't go anywhere alone. Don't over-exert yourself. We all know that you're not very good at following discharge instructions."

Magnum shook his head at the laughter following that statement, but his sheepish smile was a tacit admission of guilt. He couldn't deny that he had been planning to push his luck in a day or two, to see if he couldn't convince Rick or TC to help him get to the beach and walk in the water.

"So now, if you don't ask for help …" Higgins let the sentence trail off, looking at the dogs again.

Magnum stared hard at Higgins, sure that she couldn't be serious. She'd instructed the dogs to keep an eye on him? And the hellhounds had listened? But the reactions of everyone else in the room proved him wrong. They were all nodding, and trying very hard to smother more laughter.

He slowly eased himself into a more comfortable position on the cushions, seeing the dogs relax as they saw that he wasn't planning to stand up. His panic faded as he realised the truth of Juliet's words himself.

"See, bud, you only have to do what the doctor said." Rick pointed out.

"So, promise us you'll listen. Just this once." TC joked, although Magnum could pick out the undertone of deep worry in the words.

He looked around the room, filled with his laughing friends, and wondered at his luck. The universe could take away the things he loved, easily and quickly, and had done exactly that. More than once. But sometimes, the wheel turned and the universe gave something back as well.

He'd been given this wonderful group of people, his 'ohana. A group who would go to any lengths for him, whether he thought he deserved it or not. They would keep him safe, help him heal. Even protect him from himself.

And he would do the same for them.

No question. No hesitation.

Even if not every member of that family was actually human.

Faced with his inevitable capitulation to the two four-legged members of the family, he simply conceded the battle.

"Okay, okay." He shook his head, meeting the twin stares from Zeus and Apollo. After a long moment, he recognised that in this case, he had no other choices. So, he simply nodded once. The dogs immediately sighed, laid their heads on their paws and settled in to watch him. The resulting gale of laughter almost drowned out Magnum's heartfelt words to his 'ohana.

"I promise."

**FIN**


End file.
